The Houses of the Oireachtas Service
The Houses of the Oireachtas Service (‘Service’) is the parliamentary administration which provides advice and support services to:
- The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (‘Commission’),
- The Houses of the Oireachtas (Dáil and Seanad) and their Committees,
- Members (Deputies and Senators) of the Houses of the Oireachtas.
The Service is staffed by 440 full-time equivalent general, professional and technical civil servants. The Commission acts as the governing body of the Service. View the Organisation Chart of the Houses of the Oireachtas Service.
Clerk of Dáil Eireann/Secretary General of the Houses of the Oireachtas Service
The Clerk of the Dáil provides advice on parliamentary procedures and practices to the Ceann Comhairle and to all members of Dáil Éireann. The Clerk of the Dáil is also the Secretary General of the Service. She/he is the chief executive of the Oireachtas Commission and has responsibility, among other things, for:
- the management of the Service,
- implementing and monitoring Commission policies relevant to the Service, and
- delivering outputs as determined by the Commission.
The Clerk of the Dáil is assisted in this regard by two Assistant Secretaries who have responsibility for the following areas:
Corporate and Members’ Services Division
- Members’ & International Services
- Finance
- Human Resource Services
- Superintendent of the Houses
- ICT
- Office of the Parliamentary Legal Advisor
Parliamentary Services Division
- House Services (Bills, Journal and Questions Offices)
- Debates Office
- Parliamentary Committees
- Communications, Broadcasting and Web
- Library & Research Service
- Rannóg an Aistriúcháin
For more information on public servants employed by the Houses of the Oireachtas who are Designated Public Officials for the purposes of section 6 (1) (f) of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015, click here.
Clerk of the Seanad
The Clerk of the Seanad provides advice on parliamentary procedures and practices to the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann and to all members of the Seanad. The primary role of the Seanad Office is to support the sittings and business of the Seanad and its Committees.
Relevant Legislation
The roles, functions, and responsibilities of the Commission and the Service are set out in the following legislation:
- Staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas Act 1959
- Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act 2003, and as amended in 2006, 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2015.
- Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013 and
- Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Act 2015
An informal administrative consolidation of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003 to 2015 is available. [Please note: the consolidation remains a practical summary and description of the current statute law; it does not purport to be an official version or restatement of the legislation.]